Yes, Miss Alice
by Dolores Morrissey
Summary: CHAP 3 IS UP! It is 1888 & Alice lives in the London countryside. Jack the Ripper has terrorized London, and she is kidnapped by a man with a large top hat who she seems to think is the elusive murderer. Prologue is provided for more info Hatter/Alice.
1. Prologue

**Yes, Miss Alice  
****by: Dolores Morrissey  
**  
A/N: I do not own any of Lewis Carroll's characters, wonderland, etc. etc., just maybe except my interpretation of the Mad Hatter, and most of Alice's family members.

ALSO! Reviews are very much appreciated, especially if you wish for me to continue. Constructive criticism is welcome, but absolutely NO FLAMES. It's not going to make my story any better, serrrriously guys. And, I intentionally wrote it somewhat like a modern Lewis Carroll, with the extra ideas always put into parenthesis.

I did lots and lots of research for just this one, measly chapter. From looking up a name for Alice's sister, to specific dates.

Oh! I forgot to mention before, that this is my own interpretation of Alice, not the real Alice Liddell, there are just a bunch of borrowed names.  
& as for Alice's sister, Vivian, I was browsing around the web, and I stumbled upon a site that had a poll for people to vote what people believed the Disney's Alice's sister name should be, & voila, Vivian. Sorry for any confusion!!  
I will post an FAQ on my profile later if anyone is interested.

Prologue:

It is 1888, and Alice is now 24. She lives in countryside of London with her mother Lorina and her sister Vivian (33) who is widowed, and left behind with her son Thomas (9) and daughter Lacey (8). They also live with Alice's uncle (Geoffrey), aunt (Edith) and cousins Benjamin (23) and Leslie (20). (Yes, Leslie is a boy.)

Alice reads in her spare time, and also draws, and often tells her niece and nephew stories of Wonderland, which her sister and mother have persuaded her was completely fabricated by an over-active imagination by a seven-year old girl.  
Ever since her "Wonderland dream", she has been completely fascinated with hats, chess, and card games. At the age of 10, she began to collect hats.

Her sister, aunt, and mother milk the cows and collect eggs from the chickens, and take care of the herbal garden, while her uncle and cousins take care of the farmland and livestock.  
Alice's only duties are to home school her niece and nephew, and to occasionally help clean and cook, since she is found to be too petite, and unfit to do any physical duties.

Alice's family is also in hope to marry off Alice to a wealthy man, by the name of Charles White, whom Alice has no interest in whatsoever, but is very polite and respectful.

Keep in mind, it is also late fall of 1888, meaning the Jack the Ripper has already claimed most of his victims!


	2. Alice & Her Thoughts on Jack the Ripper

**Yes, Miss Alice  
****by: Dolores Morrissey**

Chapter One: Alice & Her Thoughts on Jack the Ripper.

The late autumn air was pungent with sewage this particular day. The sheets of gray clouds over London looked more menacing than usual. They suffocated the city with the stench, yet kept the rain in the sky, as if they had no intentions of washing away the smell. It seemed like it was Mother Nature's cruel joke.

Yet, people learned to cope with days like these. The market was still open, foods of all sort were still being served (yet, I do not know where the townsfolk gained the strength to be able to eat in such stench!) and the street merchants still selling exotic trinkets from Asia and Africa. Pubs were open of course, but they really did not get very rowdy, not until nightfall, anyway.

Down on one of the more fashionable streets, stood a lovely young woman gazing through the window of a small, but rather chic hat shop.

She had long, blond hair, loosely pulled back in a messy bun, and hidden by a hat that tied below the chin with big silky ribbons. She had very porcelain skin (And just as delicate, too!) and very, very blue eyes, somewhat like the opaque aqua of the sea. They were rather, sad-looking, down-turned eyes. Or perhaps for optimists, they could be perceived as those, sleepy, sultry bedroom eyes..?

And ohh, her lips! They were fleshy, and plump, with a dignified cupid's bow, almost pillowy to the touch. Such peach-kissed cheeks, and a lovely long neck. She was really a treasure, this lovely young lady in blue and white lace.

"Alice, darling, did you want to have a look inside?" the man whose arm was entwined with hers, asked.

She turned and politely smiled. "Oh, no. It's not necessary, I don't want to keep you waiting all day."

The man laughed. "Don't be so modest. I know you're quite fond of hats! Aren't you some sort of hat collector?"

Alice bit down on her bottom lip. He must've intentionally brought her down this street! To win her heart with her love of hats! What a desperate man, Alice thought. He's not bad-looking really, not at all, and he had manners, he was simply a gentleman. But Alice was just not fond of his ideas, or morals. She certainly did not believe to become a wife meant to become a man's property.

His eager smile meant she had no choice but to browse around the hat shop, but it did not mean she had to purchase anything!

As soon as she and Charles entered the shop, a rather silly looking elderly man greeted them, and offered them assistance. They both nodded politely, as quick as that, Alice let go of Charles's arm to look around the shop. She found any excuse to release herself from Charles's overprotective grasp.

And still, she could feel Charles's eyes follow her movement around the shop. She could feel that stare glide straight through the fixtures and into every little stitch of her dress—it burned almost. It was making the trip in the hat shop extremely unenjoyable.

She anxiously looked over every hat, hoping that one would puzzle her so much that it would distract her from the discomfort of Charles's eyes. But no--

She owned hats that were already very similar to all of these. Instead, a much more brilliant idea dawned upon her, as she turned and walked back to Charles.  
"I'm ready to go home now."

Charles sighed, "If you insist, darling Alice."

Alice thanked the owner, and followed Charles's lead back to the carriage. She wasn't allowed to go to town by herself anymore, not even accompanied by her own mother! Only if a male companion came along, that was the new rule her uncle laid down in the household.

Women were being murdered in the streets during the night. And upon being discovered, these ladies were missing organs and such! The man who claimed to be behind the morbidity was a man who wished to be called, "Jack the Ripper". Alice shuddered at the thought, and wished that her cousin Benjamin would've accompanied her instead. Her cousin was much stronger than Charles, and much bigger. He'd put up a good fight for any Jack the Ripper!

(Actually, he put up good fights for anybody who was drunk as he was on weekends!) They say Jack the Ripper was just some irate surgeon, and Alice was so sure her cousin could put any lanky, irate doctor out of his misery!

The night was beginning to fall as they finally reached the outskirts of town, where they saw Alice's personal favorite characters in town—The gypsies. The women she found to be so beautiful and enchanting! Their bronze skin and ravenous hair, their tambourines, and golden headdresses! Sometimes, she would even spot a handsome man in their clan, but her sister always warned,

"Those are the ones you need to be careful about! They'll lure you away into their barbaric ways!"  
Alice watched as the dancing gypsies faded away into the distance. About another hour now, and Alice would be home.

Charles knew about Alice's fascination with the gypsies, and always jokingly asked her, "Why don't you just go join them?"

Alice laughed, because she at one point actually considered this, and decided that she would be an outcast. (Imagine that! An outcasted gypsy!) The only milky-skinned, blonde-haired, blue-eyed gypsy.

After what seemed like an entire age of awkward silence, the Liddell residence could be seen just over a few feet of road. It was a simple, brown brick home, with a pasture, and a barn just across a field.

Once approaching the home, Charles got out of the carriage to lend Alice a hand while she exited. She curtsied and he planted a good-bye kiss on top of her hand.

"Thank you for accompanying me to town today. It was lovely."

Charles grinned, "It was my pleasure, darling Alice. Until next time."

He bowed, and quickly returned to his carriage, just as Alice entered the home.

Just as she took off her hat, Her niece, Lacey, and her nephew, Thomas, quickly greeted her as she stepped into the living area. Both Lacey and Thomas had the same tight, brown curls and large hazel eyes. One would think they were twins if they didn't know any better.

"Ohh, Auntie Alice, you didn't forget us, did you??" Lacey beamed, as she held Alice's hand.

"You would never forget us!" Thomas crowed, as he held Alice's fingers to his face.

Alice smiled reassuringly, as she pulled a jar of orange marmalade out of the basket she had been carrying with her.  
"I would never! But you have to share this, and you might have to wait until morning to have it, I don't know how your mother would feel about me giving you something sweet at night!"

The siblings giggled with laughter and ran off into the kitchen and returned to their playroom with spoons, with their new jar of marmalade, obviously ignoring Alice's advice.

Alice shrugged and lazily took herself to the family room, where she found the rest of her family. Her sister was reading a book, as her mother combed her hair, while her cousins Benjamin and Leslie played cards with their father, Uncle Geoffrey.

Alice's aunt Edith was sewing a pair of either Leslie or Benjamin's britches, which were noticeably torn.

Alice approached every member of her family and bid them good night with kisses and hugs. Alice always felt incomplete if she didn't.

"You're going to bed so soon, Alice?? Why don't you play cards with us??" Leslie suggested.

Alice rolled her eyes, "And never get the chance to win?"

Benjamin quickly turned his attention to Alice, "Are you implying that we cheat??"  
"No, I KNOW you cheat. Good night, boys!"

Alice fled upstairs into her room, and began to put on her robe. She pulled her hair down from the bun, and began to wipe down her face with a little cloth she dipped into a bowl of water. She began staring into her own eyes, and sighed.

How she ached to leave home and someday travel. Or even just to marry someone she actually wanted to marry! That would even be nice… She did not wish to live in her family's country home forever.

And oh, how Alice began to ponder, asking a new question every time she pulled the brush through her hair. She kept her eyes closed in high hopes of forgetting where she was for the moment.

She opened her eyes to finish washing up for bed, a large familiar, cat-like grin seemed to glow across the mirror's surface. Alice's eyes widened, and she pushed herself from the vanity, and let out a chilling scream.

Quick to her aid, came her strong cousins, and brave uncle, without even knocking, raided her room to her rescue.

Benjamin knelt down and picked up the startled Alice.

"What happened, Alice?"

Leslie and Uncle Geoffrey did not seem to be the only ones who noticed nothing unusual about Alice's room.

Soon, Alice's aunt and sister were behind Leslie and Geoffrey.

"Good lord, Alice!! You gave us quite a scare!"

Alice began to apologize. She felt humiliated, being rescued by her BOY cousins and uncle in her underwear, and even worse, rescued from nothing! She inspected the mirror, and shook her head.

"I think I just saw a shadow that spooked me. You know, going into town knowing that maniac is loose out there, makes you a little nervous."

They nodded and agreed, and eventually, as Alice calmed down, everyone left her to herself and her overactive thoughts.

She let out another sigh. More pondering. Maybe I'm sick? Or maybe that Jack the Ripper character really does spook me?

Well, whatever it was, Alice decided not to let it bother her, and continued her nightly regime, right before bed. She placed herself back in front of her vanity, quietly debating what body cream to use tonight.

And as she looked up for a second time, it was not a large, Cheshire Cat grin! In fact, it was the face of a handsome young man, in a large top hat, with a gray vest and black suspenders, and before she could even bother screaming, the mirror seemed to be a window, as the man's large, gloved hand pressed over Alice's mouth.

He had the complete opposite look of Alice's terror. He had a sly, almost sadistic smirk across his face, as he pulled himself out of the mirror.  
"Shhh, darling! Someone will definitely hear us! Don't be afraid of me, I mean no harm, you just need to shut up!"

Alice continued to belch out muffled screams, and the man with the top hat seemed to grow impatient.

"Seriously, quit screaming!! If you promise not to scream or anything, I'll remove my hand, do we got a deal? I'm not here to hurt you, I swear!"  
Alice felt helpless. What use was it to scream behind a hand? So she nodded, promising to cooperate.

The mysterious man smiled, "Thatta girl!"

As promised, he released his hand. Not even 15 seconds later, Alice began to cry for help, once again.

"Help me!! PLEASE!! He's here, he's here in my room!!"

Much to his horror he could already hear an ensemble of heavy feet ready to burst through the door, but thought quickly and grabbed her chair, and shoved it under the door knob. Alice attempted to beat him there, but he managed to scoop her over his shoulder. Her small, angry fists would probably leave a few small bruises on his back, but nothing serious, really.

"Why'd you have to go and do that now?! I thought you weren't going to scream?!" he asked nervously, almost in a panic.

Cries from Benjamin and Leslie could be heard from behind the heavy wooden door.

"Alice!? Who's in there?!"

"Alice, open the door!!"

The man anxiously looked around her room, and grabbed a dress out of her wardrobe and the pair of boots next to her bed and quickly threw them into the window-like mirror.

"We've got to go now, sugarplum. Since you won't let me explain here!"

"No, no!! Please, please!!" Alice begged.

This man had to be the elusive Jack the Ripper, she was so sure.

The man pushed her into the mirror just as her cousins and uncle broke down the door.  
The men quickly exchanged glances at each other.  
Alice's kidnapper quickly flashed a big, nervous grin at bid them farewell.

"Don't worry, it's not what it looks like!" he said before slipping into the mirror himself.

Alice could hear her family's screams and pleads as she continued to fall through a familiar tunnel that she once believed she had made up.

Suddenly, everything seemed so familiar.


	3. Mr James Smythe

A/N: Thank you all for reading & reviewing!! 

Chapter Two: Mr. James Smythe

Alice ached. Every way she turned her body seemed to be immensely sore, though whatever she seemed to be laying on felt as if it were a cloud. The room around her seemed to be a peculiar purple haze, somewhat spinning, her stomach felt like it was turning. She wished she could make it to a washroom, or something of the sort. She was so awfully sick, and in so much pain! Her chest felt heavy as she inhaled, but she soon learned the consequences of quickly exhaling!

It seemed like hours before the room began to slow down! Ohh, how grateful she was that it decided to stand still, for she could finally sit up and look across the mysterious room. Even though her body still twinged in pain, she still managed to get herself up. Her head seemed to feel just as heavy as her chest, as she clumsily propped herself against her knees, and slowly lifted her head.

How curious! It was a small bedroom, and all around her were curtains of sheer lavender material (no wonder the room looked so cloudy and purple!), and she was sitting on a rather large, square-shaped bed with soft down blankets and many, many pillows.

But she could not act foolish!! She was in the home of a murderer! She must be extremely quiet, and careful. Elusive, like a phantom. No matter how lovely the setting may be, and how charming this fellow may act, she most definitely did NOT want to fall into his little trap! He could not win her over with exotic items, nothing such as grapes or furs or jewelry! She mustn't let him persuade her that he's actually some chivalrous, wonderful sort of man! He would only woo her and cut out her organs, and that really was not worth grapes or jewelry. Alice knew this to be true, because she always knew she had very good advice, after all!

Alice observed her soft, cozy cage. Was there a way out of this lovely bed? She couldn't seem to make out any real openings in the curtains and quickly slid beneath them, which almost felt like a bad idea—for her aching, agonizing body got lost in the long, soft curtains.

She noticed she was still in her robe. That was good. Now, she could really investigate this strange room!! But much to her surprise, this room wasn't really strange at all, other than the overly decorated bed. An armoire, a writing desk, and a hat stand, with many, many hats.

Alice tiptoed across to the desk, eyeing what looked like to be a jar of sweets!

She hesitantly opened the small jar and froze. Across the treat, in a lovely script made of sugar were the words, "Eat Me". She quickly put the lid back on top of the jar, and turned away. Why, no! This could not be! She couldn't decide whether she felt more frightened or relieved!

She covered her mouth and kept reminding herself to stay still, and to stay silent.

As Alice looked for a place to hide, the door to her right burst wide open. The handsome, dark-haired man appeared, wearing a white shirt, but the sleeves had been rolled up, and he had suspenders on, that must've been holding up his somewhat baggy trousers. He had come armed with a teapot, teacups and scones, neatly displayed on a tray.

Alice shrieked and backed away just as he had made his appearance.

Quickly noticing Alice's fear, the young man put the tray on the writing desk, and backed away from Alice himself.

"Darling, I'm not going to hurt you! If I had any intention to do that, don't you think I would've done it by now?!"

Alice did not consider this. But no! She could not fall for one of his merciless tricks.

"Well, perhaps you are one of the more sicker types! Perhaps you would enjoy watching me cringe in pain, beg for mercy! I know what you've done to those women back in London, I'm no fool, Jack!"

The man lifted an eyebrow.  
"Jack…? I'm sorry, dear, but you must have me mistaken for somebody else, my name is not, 'Jack', you see… It's James. James Smythe is my name."

Alice wrinkled her nose and closed her eyes.

"James the Ripper, Jack the Ripper, it's all the same!"

James tilted his head to the side, put his hands behind his back, and leaned upon the wall. He smiled at little, silly, confused Alice.

"Sugarplum, don't you know where you are? You're not in London. And I am most definitely NOT Jack the Riddler, or whoever's identity you choose to accuse me of! You're in Wonderland, dearest. I thought you might remember this little house; it once belonged to the White Rabbit, some work was needed after you had left! I actually bought it off him, since he decided he needed a closer residence to the Queen!"

And on, and on went James, talking as if this wasn't strange at all, as poor Alice sat tearing up, still confused, and still feeling terrible pains in her back and shoulders.

Alice began to weep, rather loudly, startling James.

His eyes widened, "Ohhh no! No, no, no! None of that sugarplum, I won't have you cry HERE, you know what happens if you cry!!"

Alice's sobs came to a halt—She vaguely remembered a scenario where her fat, heavy tears flooded an entire room! She most definitely did not want to flood Mr. Smythe's house! Why, that would be very inconsiderate of her! But how did she know Mr. Smythe could be trusted? Just because of his words??

"How could this be true, Mr. Smythe? I was told over and over again that Wonderland did not exist! How can I be here, in this room, that I managed to nearly destroy so long ago? In the most vivid of dreams, actually.." Alice spoke softly, almost childlike.

James held his hand out for Alice. She walked closer, and her face fit in the cradle of his hand. Alice supposed she had no real choice anymore. Jack the Ripper, James the Ripper, whoever he was-- he would have her now.

James pulled Alice close, and put his chin on top of Alice's head. James's heart began to dance, so it felt. He did not know what this was… This feeling of attraction? All he knew was that Alice had to return to Wonderland, once again. It was the wishes of his uncle.

James ran his fingers through the end curls of her hair. She seemed frightened still. He could feel the tension of her muscles against him. His hands moved from her back to her arms, as he slid them down to her elbows.

"Alice darling…"

Alice's eyes were closed. Not tightly, as if she could be dreaming.

"James, please don't call me that."

Alice's request puzzled him. Was it offensive to call a lady "darling"? Perhaps she felt tested. He didn't know. Wonderland was rather new to him as well, but the longer he seemed to stay, the less he seemed to know about proper things. Manners, chivalry. Love. He even forgot what it was to love! Everything in Wonderland, it all seemed so impulsive. His actions, reactions, just anything at all! Back in England, he might've shot a man, and this really began to scare him at first, but the more time spent in Wonderland, consequences just didn't seem to exist. Here, you could shoot a man, and he'd probably grow his head back, and maybe an extra. His thoughts could run many marathons over, and over again. He had to in order to stay somewhat sane.

"If you wish," James replied.

Alice opened her big blue eyes, and looked up into James's. Alice sensed her advantage here. James seemed to be just as frightened as Alice was, but in some other way. His eyes held her stare, and Alice noticed that he seemed like he was in immense pain. As if he didn't know what to do, or maybe that he wanted to cry too.

"Alice… I… I'm sorry I brought you here. I'll take you back at once, after my uncle's funeral, I promise. So that you won't have to suffer here with me."

She froze. Now she was more confused than ever.

James broke the stare, and looked away. He took Alice's hand, and she did not fight. She followed him downstairs. He promised to explain on their way.

"Exactly, where are we going??" Alice questioned, incredibly curious about why she would be asked to stand in a funeral of a man she had no relations to! She had no objections, funerals were very sad things. But she could not recall any cemeteries in Wonderland at all…

"To the March Hare's, of course. Just keep close, Alice. This place is different from the last time you've been here."

Alice did not refuse, she understood now that she was not in danger of Jack the Ripper anymore, but the characters and creatures of Wonderland.


	4. The Consequence of Wonderland

A/N: I do apologize for the hiatus, school and work, you know?  
I hope you like it. :)

Chapter Three: The Consequence Of Wonderland

The young hatter waited downstairs for Alice to dress. He pulled his coat around him, and sat on the last few steps of the stairs. He was concentrating. He had been holding back the urges to pounce Alice, and make love to her (Oh, to drown her in kisses! To glide his lips across her skin!). It was drugging him, the daydreams, the thoughts, encouraging him. He took steady breaths. It was the one single consequence of Wonderland, most likely. The madness of it all. Inheriting his uncle's hat shop, and everything that came with it. The impulses. You were constantly urged by some unknown source to do something spontaneous and completely out of your nature. His uncle had a different impulse. It was the passion he had put into creating hats, and tea time. His two favorite things, that seemed like crazed obsessions

It seemed that deep inside, James's greatest desire was to find Wonderland, and to find this Alice he felt so connected to, and obligated to meet someday, and upon laying eyes on her, he wanted her to himself. He didn't want to lose it, like his uncle had. It prepared him for his death. It seemed that he had began to somehow mass produce hats by himself, and exposed himself to the great amount of mercury. James began to realize, perhaps it was too late the moment he laid eyes on her? It frightened him.

Back in England, he was not a man of impulse, violence or vulgarity at all really. Just a humbled, eccentric artist. He was extremely tall, Alice's guess would've been 6'4 ½". His height made him sort of awkward, but he was very charming! (Holding doors for ladies, laying his coat down in puddles, all that sort.) He would draw them, and let them keep his art at no charge, which is why he made no money as an artist, but he was quite educated. Why, Da Vinci was his great hero! He studied his works often, hoping to be an inventor, a scientist, something like that. (But much to his surprise, he ended up inheriting a hat shop!!)

Alice made her way down the stairs. James turned around, and took her hand as the railing curled towards the end. The gloves on his hands impaired his ability to feel the softness of her skin, but perhaps it was good? It would've made him melt faster than butter in the sun! And he was in no situation to ruin his uncle's last wish by giving into his greatest desire, it would mean Wonderland had won him over for good.

Out the door, through a little gate, and along a path. Alice did not let go of Mr. Smythe's hand, she didn't dare. The path was leading toward the Tulgey Wood, and she recalled many strange creatures that she came across. It was either be obedient to James, or let go and find herself in a situation of impending doom. She did not wish to meet with the Queen anytime soon, really. She recalled not being able to say anything without her words being twisted!

James turned to Alice as they entered the woods, and began his story.

"Well, you see, Alice, my uncle just passed away, two nights ago. He was very ill, with mercury poisoning. Everyone thought it was the mercury that made him go on and on about Wonderland, but that wasn't it. Everyone thought he was just a senile old man—which was somewhat true, but—It was way before the mercury poisoning when I noticed he was… odd? Yes, odd. Something about him was just set off, something like that. And one summer when I was sixteen, my father made me help my uncle in the hat shop. That's when the stories of Wonderland truly began for me."

"He told me of all these exciting things, things I would love to see! He told me about you, Alice. He told me about a beautiful, blonde little girl whose curiosity got the best of her! All of your excitement and misfortunes. Ohh, how I yearned to know what you experienced. He told me you stopped coming. He never knew why. But as my uncle passed, his last request fell upon deaf ears—'Find Alice, and tell her good-bye, please!' My family completely ignored this! They didn't care to find you, they did not know any Alice, not any particularly close with the family. They assumed it was an old flame, but I knew it was you, darl—Oh, I do apologize, Alice."

Alice scrunched her nose at his forgetfulness, but she could sense his eagerness. He squeezed her hand during parts of the story (especially towards the end!) His excitement seemed to rattle around them, it was in his eyes, his voice, his very essence!

"He left this place a long time ago. But he could return when he pleased, do not get me wrong, and he visited quite often! But he did not let it make him at home again. You become Wonderland's prisoner if you make a home here."

Alice was puzzled. But hadn't she just been to the home of this hatter?

"You're a prisoner here? You have a home here.."

James gave her a glossy, mesmerized glance.

"I thought home was where the heart is? That's London for me, too."  
He shook off the thought, and continued.

"Everyone has a way to get to Wonderland, all their unique own way. I thought you would like to know."

Alice was interested in this. "Is that so, Mr. Smythe? Then how is it that I have managed to get to Wonderland through a rabbit hole and a looking glass?"

James shrugged. "Some have more than one way of getting here if they're desperate enough… My uncle found his way here through an old storage closet in the back of his shop. It wouldn't work for me that way, you know? That was his entry to Wonderland. I found my way by falling off a boardwalk into a large pond. I thought I had drowned and died, but in reality, found myself in Wonderland! Imagine that."

"I suppose you find this place when nothing seems real anymore, hmm? Or in your case when you so desperately don't want it to be,".

Alice let out a sarcastic, "Hmmph" but did nod in agreement. Mr. Smythe was right! (Even though she did hate to admit that!)

The Tulgey wood seemed to thicken towards the center. The useless signs overgrown with vines, hugging every edge and curve in their path. James must have known better to ignore the signs, the signs that confused Alice so much. They pointed every direction but the right one, so it seemed.

"Do forgive me if I'm not one for conversation at the moment, Alice. It's just that I do find it best to be silent further into the woods, rather than chatty."

She nodded. Alice understood completely.

The denser the woods became, the more Alice began to notice the looming eyes, following her movements. Investigating her body language, her mannerisms, her personality. It was rather exposing, and uncomfortable.

The squeals and squeaks of the mome raths and jubjub birds rose to an immense volume. Alice could feel her heart pounding, not to mention, James's speed was beginning to pick up. It was terrifying her, she sensed danger. They had to be somewhere in the center of the woods, it would only get worse before it got better!

She began to call for James, but her cries were washed away by the angry roars and rumbles of strange creatures. She could feel the panic setting in, she closed her eyes as James pulled her along, she could feel a sob rising through her throat, and then—

Light. It warmed every inch of her body. And there was a home, with an untamed garden, that once could've been lush and peaceful. In the center, a long table, covered with a cloth that had yellowed with age. Many teapots and teacups were tipped, cracked, and chipped. Tarnished silverware. It was a ghoulish sight to see. The home had two stories. The stone walls were covered in moss, almost as high as the roof. The wooden door and shutters looked slimy. There was a tiny storehouse a few feet away, with an eerie resemblance to the home. It was a ghoulish sight to see.

Alice remembered this place being very much alive once. She clutched James's arm. She looked up into his pained eyes.  
"What happened here, James? This used to be such a nice place. Sort of silly, and frustrating, but usually I enjoyed it."

"Well, you see, after you left, my uncle didn't come to Wonderland much anymore… Especially after the little quarrel you had with the Queen, well, it just seemed a little dangerous for outsiders to come in."

"Outsiders…?" Alice's head tipped to her right side.

"It's rather much to explain here. Let's go inside, and have some tea, shall we? It's chilly out here, and you're shaken."

Alice nodded, as he slid her hand slightly above his elbow, so he could pull his coat over his chest. They walked down the cobblestone path to the front door. A large brass knocker miraculously stood still in the mushy wood, and even more astonishing, did not break the door as the young Hatter dropped it onto the wood three times.

Silence. Alice looked at James, and he smiled meekly. There were footsteps coming towards the door. The door opened, and a man-sized rabbit wearing a coat and vest, standing on its hind legs welcomed them in.

Alice's throat tightened.

"So nice to see you both again, especially you, dear." The hare said between a smile.

James turned to Alice immediately. He had felt her go limp, and caught her just in time to see her eyes roll back into unconciousness. James turned to the March Hare and apologized.

"She's been trained to believe you didn't exist, it's a little rattling for little lady. Might I bring her into your library, and let her lay in the chaise?"

The hare held open the door, "Please do, but quickly, quickly, son! Before the cards notice anything peculiar!"

James rustled in, through a hallway, and into the library. Before closing the door, the hare poked his head out for a quick inspection. His animal senses were much more keen than Alice's and James's. They would've never noticed the cards following them, especially in the Tulgey wood. Swiftly, and silently, he shut the door.


End file.
